When AirPods Pro 3 initially debuted, I was a little bit hesitant about upgrading. I felt that AirPods Pro 2 were still excellent. On top of that, one of the key features of AirPods Pro 3, Live Translation, was also coming to AirPods Pro 2. However, after giving them plenty of usage, I can definitely say they’re worth an upgrade for a lot of people.
Fit makes all the difference
It all comes down to fit, pretty much. AirPods Pro 3 feel a lot nicer in my ears. They’re a lot lighter, in a way – in the sense that I don’t really think about the fact that I’m wearing them.
I didn’t realize that was the case with my AirPods Pro 2, until I tried AirPods Pro 3. Between the new shape and the foam-infused ear tips, AirPods Pro 3 are a lot easier for me to wear for longer periods of time.
Apple says that these are the ‘most secure and best-fitting AirPods ever’, based on 100,000 hours of user research and 300 million ear fit datapoints. That certainly feels accurate.
Clearer transparency mode
Apple doesn’t talk about it, but at least in my experience, AirPods Pro 3 offer a more clear transparency mode than AirPods Pro 2. I’d imagine this is mostly to offset the fact that AirPods Pro 3 have a better seal in your ears thanks to the foam-infused ear tips.
For me, this is a big deal. I’d never been a fan of talking while wearing my AirPods – mainly because I felt that I couldn’t hear everything as clearly. Now, with AirPods Pro 3, I’m cool with it.
Same great sound quality
If you like how your AirPods Pro 2 sound, you’ll likely feel the same way about AirPods Pro 3. I’m certainly no audio expert, but at least in my opinion, the two pairs of earbuds are roughly on par with each other. If you’re someone who was looking for better audio, this may be slightly disappointing, but it’s great news if you already love the audio from your AirPods Pro 2.
Less overall battery life
Now, for the one drawback: the case comes with less battery life.
Overall, AirPods Pro 3 last longer than AirPods Pro 2. Apple advertises up to 10 hours of listening time with the earbuds when in transparency mode, up from 6 hours on AirPods Pro 2. That’s a big difference.
The case comes with a significantly smaller battery capacity, though. AirPods Pro 3 last a total of 24 hours when combined with the charging case, vs 30 hours on AirPods Pro 2.
That may not sound like a lot, but I’ve absolutely noticed this during my time using them. That little iOS notification reminding you to charge your AirPods will pop up far more often, whereas I very rarely saw it with my AirPods Pro 2.
I’m yet to have my AirPods Pro 3 die on me, so there is that, but you’ll definitely need to be more mindful of charging with these new earbuds.
Wrap up
All in all, AirPods Pro 3 are a great product. If you have any older pair of AirPods, you should consider upgrading, even if you don’t think you need anything new – so long as you have the disposable income for it.
Apple Stores do offer demos for AirPods if you ask, so I’d highly recommend doing that if you have the time. AirPods Pro 3 look like a minor upgrade on paper, but everything changes once you give them a go.
Top comment by laford
The fit/comfort issue: Everyone's ear configuration is different. Even left-to-right on one person might require a different fitting. Not everyone will be comfortable with plugging up their ear canal. I learned this first hand trying various hearing aid ear buds, where fit is hyper-critical. Find the correct size for your ear(s).
AirPods Pro as hearing aids: so surprised this is not discussed more frequently. They are totally awesome for that (mild to moderate hearing loss) and, in fact, IMHO, are best-in-class, even compared to OTC aids costing 5-10 times as much and RICs and rx/audiologist fit at 20 times the cost. In fact, if you use active noise cancellation mode, there are NO other hearing aids that do that. At least not as of this writing but competition is on the way.
The only thing holding back APP from being the go-to OTC hearing aid for everyone is the lack of situational (ie: restaurant, outdoor walk, etc) pre-sets and user defined pre-sets. Also, having the Hearing Adjustment app interface work consistently. Minor software issues. I assume Apple is working on that. Right, Apple? Plus for me, I don't care for the white stems hanging out of my ears and providing free advertising for Apple. Now, if they'd like to pay me a monthly stipend for that......
Also, minor thing of note: AirPods Pro 3 have a slightly larger case than AirPods Pro 2, and they do feel lighter. This doesn’t make much of a difference, but it’s interesting nonetheless.
If you’d like to pick up a pair of AirPods Pro 3, you can get them on sale right now for just $209 on Amazon.
My favorite Apple accessory recommendations:
- Anker Ultra-Slim MagSafe Battery Pack
- AirPods Pro 3 (2x ANC vs AirPods Pro 2!)
- Anker Nano 45W Fast Charger with Smart Display
- Anker Prime 3-in-1 25W Compact MagSafe Charger
- Logitech MX Master 4 Mouse for Mac
- AirTag 2 4-pack (50% improved Precision Finding!)
- Belkin MagSafe 3-in-1 Charging Stand for iPhone
- MOFT MagSafe Kickstand Wallet for iPhone
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